WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 032511

First up today, freelance writer and Wildfire NOTD subscriber Sue Russell, sent along a link to an impressive weather website which allows users to access and data-mine decades worth of weather patterns anywhere in the world (1); and Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Ware, Fire Information Officer for New Mexico State Forestry, commented on the 20,000-acre wildfire that was just contained in southeastern New Mexico in the following article (2). A wildfire in Lincoln County, Colorado, burned 12,000 acres, destroying several structures before being contained (3); while firefighters announced that a 1,600-acre wildfire burning in Douglas County was now 70% contained after forcing evacuations (4); meanwhile, the governor issued a disaster proclamation to free up state funds to help pay the estimated $1.5 million in suppression costs for recent wildfires (5); NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellites provided a birds eye view of one of those wildfires (6); but Colorado should brace for more, as US Forest Service projected an active fire season ahead (7); so homeowners are being reminded of their responsibility to reduce the wildfire danger in a year that has already seen more than eight times the usual number of wildfires in that state (8). Fire officials in Montana's Flathead National Forest are gearing up for wildfires (9); and a former Minnesota volunteer firefighter was sentenced to 120 days in jail plus $76,000 in fines for a wildfire he started two years ago (10). An update on wildfire activity in Arkansas is provided by the next article (11); where officials fear that they may be dealing with an arsonist after a series of fires burned 25 acres (12); and several homes burned in a wildfire in Franklin County as well (13). Arson inspectors in Baldwin County, Alabama, are in hot pursuit of an arsonist who set several wildfires, including one that burned 135 acres (14); while firefighters battled a 1,000-acre wildfire burning on the grounds of North Carolina's Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base (15). As the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety demonstrates how to reduce the wildfire danger to homes in South Carolina, the hazards of landscaping with pine straw were highlighted (16); even as firefighters continue to monitor hotspots in a 2,500-acre wildfire that burned outside of McClellanville (17). A 1,000-acre wildfire burning in Southeast Georgia has destroyed 10 homes (18); one of several firefighters are battling in six counties at the moment (19). Two counties in Florida have seen a substantial amount of wildfire activity lately (20); more have been reported in St. Lucie and Martin counties, as the following article shows (21); and a wildfire was reported in Okaloosa County, as well (22). Firefighters in Northern England battled a wildfire on York's Strensall Common (23); while firefighters in France's Dordogne Départment have been having a tough time with wildfires often started by unattended bonfires (24). Adapting to an increase in natural disasters (including bushfires), such as Australia has seen in the last three years, is becoming the focus of the federal government (25); but there was a bit of a row over the legitimacy of a lawsuit filed against a power company over the Black Saturday bushfires (26). Western Australian arson investigators are checking out a suspicious fire that erupted in Joondalup's Neil Hawkins Park (27); while dozens of homes in Jalbarragup will be participating in a bushfire alert trial (28). And finally, for those thrill seekers among you looking for a new challenge, India needs some help fighting wildfires in their Palamu Tiger Reserve!

(1) Weatherspark Interactive Weather Charts

(2) 20,000-acre grass fire near Tatum, NM, contained

(3) One Barn, 2 Bridges Burn Down near Karval; Fire Fully Contained

(4) Franktown fire 70 percent contained, all evacuations lifted

(5) Governor Authorizes $1.5 Million To Help Pay For Fire

(6) Colorado's Indian Gulch Wildfire

(7) Large wildfires predicted through April; summer could be worse

(8) Create unwelcome environment for wildfires

(9) Flathead officials preparing for fire season

(10) Former Forest Lake firefighter sentenced to 120 days for starting blaze

(11) Thursday wildfire update

(12) Wildfires burning along AR/LA/TX border

(13) Wildfires blaze through 3 mobile homes in Ark

(14) Arson suspected in Baldwin County forest fires

(15) Flames char more than 1,000 acres in Onslow County

(16) Popular pine straw raises wildfire danger in South

(17) Firefighters monitor 2 major hot spots in 2,500-acre wildfire

(18) 10 homes burn in southeast Georgia

(19) Ga. Crews Battle Multiple Wildfires

(20 Wildfires continue burning in Brevard, Volusia

(21) Wildfires in St. Lucie, Martin contained, but still kicking up some smoke | Photo galleries, videos

(22) Wildfire still burning in Crestview

(23) Firefighters tackle Strensall Common blaze

(24) Forest fire risk in Dordogne

(25) Natural disasters need better preparation

(26) Court told Black Saturday case should be thrown out

(27) Arson suspected in Joondalup fire

(28) Bushfire alert trial extends to Jalbarragup

(29) Tiger reserve in Jharkhand ravaged by forest fire